Simon and Helen Director Park

Body Vox dancers on Teachers Fountain, opening ceremony (click to magnify)

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Creating this jewel in the crown of Portland's downtown parks took the Foundation's partnership with an extraordinarily generous donor--Jordan Director Schnitzer--whose gift to the Foundation of nearly $2 million ensured the elegance of the park.

The site was once a surface parking lot. It was donated to the city by visionary philanthropist Tom Moyer along with $1 million toward construction of a park. Moyer's and Schnitzer's magnanimous gifts, in partnership with the Foundation and the City of Portland, have created a new gathering place. This urban park offers more than 44,000 square feet of honey-colored granite plaza and features a fountain, a cafe, and a glass canopy for protected outdoor seating.

Simon and Helen Director Park is named for two individuals who emigrated from Eastern Europe to Portland. They worked very hard, paving the way for generations to come, serving their community and building a legacy of civic engagement. With his $1.6 million donation to the park's development, their grandson, Jordan Director Schnitzer, named the park in their honor.

Schnitzer also contributed $400,000 toward the cost of the fountain. He named it Teachers Fountain in recognition of "their selfless and untiring efforts to inspire the hearts and minds of their students. The work they do enriches all our lives."

Location: SW Park Avenue and SW Yamhill